


The war is over

by Aoife259



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Acceptance, Anger, Feelings, Fluff, Love, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Past Relationship(s), Past Torture, Past Violence, Redeemed Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28548939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aoife259/pseuds/Aoife259
Summary: Some of the surviving students of the battle of Hogwarts return for a newly introduced eighth year. Though the war is over, nothing is the same and many are facing hardship and sorrow. Can they learn to move on?Ok that was a horrific summary
Relationships: Hannah Abbott/Ron Weasley, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Em, so i have another dramione story but I wrote dozens of chapters for it on word, but my depression decided to ruin all that for me. Looong story.  
> So I'm here! Hopefully this one will go better and I hope you like it!

"The reason the dementors affect you more than others, Harry, is because there are horrors in your past that the others have not experienced"


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the story actually starts.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione Granger stepped onto the train that had become so familiar to her in the past years. She was returning to Hogwarts. Returning home really. The battle was over and the castle had been repaired, but Hermione couldn't fix her grief with scaffolding and spells. They had won, but lost so much that night, and as she stared down the train, she wondered if anything was ever going to be the same.  
Just then Harry broke her trance by placing a light hand on her shoulder.  
"Hermione I need to talk to you about something-" he began before he fell silent suddenly as she felt a presence stand behind her.  
Slowly turning around, she couldn't hold in the gasp at the sight of the tall, blond man who stood in the entrance to the train.  
Draco Malfoy had been something of a spectacle in the aftermath of the war. She remembered Voldemorts narrow, eyes staring over at them as he called Draco to come and join the death eaters. The way his snakelike features seemed to become even more twisted as Draco refused to budge.  
What had been the worst were his mother's desperate pleas for her son to return to her side. The terror in Narcissa Blacks eyes had been astonishing as Nagini slithered over to where the former death eater boy stood. Hermione needed to do something, anything. And she wasn't a Gryffindor for nothing.  
She had snatched Godrics sword off Neville, and desperately swiped at the serpent. She had been suprised as the black blood drenched her, how easy it was to kill. Voldemort had let out a roar of rage, and as he turned to face her she had thought that it was the end, she was going to die. And she wasn't scared, she was proud of the role she had played in helping defeat the dark lord.  
But then Harry had leaped up, out of Hargrids arms and shot an expelliarmus at Voldemort. And thus the fighting started again. Draco had helped them from that moment forward, and succeeded in conquering at least seven death eaters.  
All this had helped him in his trial, but it didn't erase the fact that he had tortured numerous people, and was a death eater for a year.  
Harry and Hermione had helped him face the ministry. Ron said he was up for going, but it had only been weeks since his brother had passed away and they decided it would be better if he stayed home and joined his family in the preparation of the funeral.  
In the end, Draco was declared free of all charges, except he had to be under supervison while using a wand for the next year. His mother had faced the same, his father however was serving 20 years in Azkaban for assistance to the Dark Lord in both wizarding wars. She hadn't seen any of the Malfoy family since.  
Until now.  
"Malfoy" she managed to squeak out before turning away, not wanting to look at the gaunt,hollow looking man who's life she saved months ago.  
To her relief Ron arrived at that moment and Harry asked them to go save a compartment.  
"So what's the story with Malfoy?" She questioned as they found an empty place to sit.  
"Oh yeah, Harry wanted me to tell you, he's been placed under our supervison for the school year" answered Ron who seemed determined to study his shoelaces.  
Hermione bit back a sigh. Yes, Malfoy had changed, and yes, she had saved his life and helped him at his trial but that didn't change the fact that he had bullied her for six years.  
Harry, who had appeared at the door, spoke up, "Hermione, I know he made your life hell, but the war changed all of us, maybe it changed him too?"  
"I'll give him a chance, I guess" she said shrugging.  
Looking around at her two best friends, she felt a surge of gratitude swelling up inside her. Her gaze lingered on Ron, they had decided to ignore the kiss entirely, it had been a spur of the moment desicion, one that was best forgotten.  
Harry disappeared around the door of the compartment, but they could here him talking on a specially designed watch that was wrapped around his wrist, he seemed pretty agitated at whoever he was talking too, and Hermione heard him say things like "That's not required!" And, "remember what happened last time?". He continued at his watch until he stopped abruptly. Hermione guessed whoever was on the other side had hung up.  
As soon as Harry's head reappeared Ron questioned him, "What's wrong mate?" clearly wanting to know what was happening as much as she did.  
"Nothing you need to worry about, now, I'm going to get Malfoy, and when he comes back in, I want you to pretend you heard nothing okay? They nodded.  
"I asked everyone else to leave us alone for now, no need to turn this into "question the golden trio and Malfoy"" And once again Harry left down the now moving train. When he returned Malfoy was following behind him, and they both sat.  
Harry engaged in light conversation but Hermiones eyes were trained on Malfoy who was staring out the window, a pensive look on his face.  
Eventually Harry fell into silence, and since everything else they could have said wasn't going to be told around the blond man in the corner, the others followed suit.  
Hermione was in the middle of dozing off when a voice cut through her thoughts, startling her.  
"I-I just wanted to say thank you, for being at mine and my mother's trials" Malfoys voice was trembling, and she could tell by the look on his face he meant what he said.  
"And sorry" at this she saw Harry raise his eyebrows  
"For everything"  
There was no need for him to expand, everyone knew what he was apologising for. And everyone knew it was long overdue. Still, she couldn't help feeling grateful for some sort of apology.  
"Malfoy-" Harry started to say something but what it was Hermione never knew. Because a cold hand had opened the door of the compartment, and all of a sudden she felt the life draining from the room. Memories were rushing by in her head, the days Ron bullied her. The time Malfoy called her a mudblood. Her argument with Ron at the Yule ball. Obliviating her parents. It all came rushing back until she felt someone place their arms around her. Calling her. And then she was back, back in Harry's arms. Harry, whom she'd been through so much with. Harry, her best friend. Harry, her brother.  
"I'm fine" she heard herself whispering, whether to herself, or Harry she wasn't sure.  
It was then she noticed the other person in the room, Malfoy was lying on the floor with his arms around his knees, screaming. His eyes were what scared her the most though, wide open, but all she could see was white. No pupil or hint of grey, just white.  
"Hermione, Ron went to get help, and I'm going to go see if everyone else is okay after that dementor attack, so you need to stay here and help him." She was nodding before Harry finished his sentence. Crouching down on the floor, she took Malfoys hand in hers.  
"It's okay, it's okay, it's me, Hermione Granger, it's just me, and I'm not going to hurt you" she whispered to him in a soothing voice. Although it was Malfoy she was talking to, she knew, better than most what it felt like to relive horrifying memories. She had learned how to control them more, with Harrys help, and so now she was willing to help even her childhood bully.  
She continued speaking to him in a soft, soothing voice until his screams subsided and his eyes closed.  
Breathing a sigh of relief she (struggling) managed to get him back up on the seat where he promptly flopped from exhaustion.  
"H'miome" he muttered "fank oo"  
"Well" she thought "seems someone else is going to need help this year."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All characters belong to J.K Rowling.

**Author's Note:**

> Canon and all characters belong to J.K Rowling


End file.
